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NEWS Sydney FC Commits to OptaPro

10 December 2012

Leading Hyundai A-League side Sydney FC have reaffirmed their commitment to advanced performance analysis by becoming the first Australian soccer side to integrate OptaPro performance data into their SportsCode software package.

By utilising OptaPro's market-leading data and services, Sydney FC joins a host of major club and international sides from across the globe, including Manchester City FC, Chelsea FC, the Italian National side and the New Zealand Rugby Union team.

By integrating Opta's uniquely detailed data set into SportsCode, Sydney FC will have access to over 1600 coded on-the-ball events in each match, corresponding to their video time lines and game matrix including every touch by every player on the field.

This allows the user to not just search every pass, but more detailed event types such as every in-swinging corner, every chipped through ball behind the back four, every possession regain in the offensive third or every 50/50 ball contested by each player. The Sydney FC coaching staff will therefore be able to perform detailed squad analysis before and after every match.

Opta's Australian Head, Steve Cliffe, was delighted to work with such a high-profile Australian club: "We are extremely proud to be working with Sydney FC and this highlights the club's innovation and drive to perform at the highest standard. They will now have access to the most detailed player performance data ever available to an A-League club and this will give their performance department an extra edge in their own squad analysis and also their preparation for their opponents".

Sydney FC's Head of Human Performance, Dr Craig Duncan said: "We're very fortunate to have OptaPro as our game data provider. OptaPro offer an outstanding service that is the best in football and this has made a positive difference to our analysis and greatly assists our coaching staff in lifting the Sydney FC performance and dissecting our opposition.

"The ongoing service provided by OptaPro is also magnificent: nothing is too much trouble."